Slam

Still, they have bigger goals: “Sunday night, the Cavaliers cut down the New Jersey Nets 96-88 at the Izod Center to tie the franchise record for most wins in a season held by the 1988-89 and 1991-92 teams that featured Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Larry Nance and John ”Hot Rod” Williams. On the same night, one of Williams’ records fell as center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, fresh from reaching his 10,000th point Saturday afternoon against the Atlanta Hawks, broke the former Cav’s record for blocked [...Read More at Source]

by Marcel Mutoni
No one enjoys discussing the summer of 2010 more than its biggest fish: LeBron James. He revels in the added attention it brings him, and loves messing with the press about it.
In town to play against the Nets, James was at it again. The AP reports:James raised the possibility Sunday of the MVP candidates playing [...Read More at Source]

The two Pacers got into it on Friday night during a game, but according to Jack, it’s now water under the bridge: “Jack said his public argument with Ford on Friday was a “heat of the moment” incident and both players have put it behind them. Jack and Ford got into an argument on the court midway through the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks. The heated conversation carried over to the sideline and Jack, who had to be calmed down by several of his teammates, [...Read More at Source]

His coach, to O’Neal’s endless dissapointment, knew (and didn’t care) that he was going to Tweet at halftime against the Wizards: “And sure enough, a brief message was posted on Shaq’s feed before the third quarter. ‘Shhhhhhh,’ it read. It was the same message O’Neal delivered when asked about his Twitter plans before the game. When told [...Read More at Source]

by Marcel Mutoni
Mike Dunleavy’s reign of ineptitude could soon be coming to an end. Some of it, anyway.
Word on the street is that Donald Sterling is looking to bring in a real GM for his bumbling franchise, and one of the guys reportedly being considered has a long history with the area.
From the Boston [...Read More at Source]

Manu hopes it’s sooner rather than later: “The war of wills has begun. Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, 37 days removed from his last game action, said before Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics that he has begun to pester coach Gregg Popovich to get back on the court. With an eye on the playoffs, Popovich continues to turn a deaf ear to Ginobili’s entreaties. ‘I’m already asking for permission to do more,’ said Ginobili, who was diagnosed [...Read More at Source]

Time has the tendency to fly by. If your eyes stutter-step, you miss a day. Fall asleep, you miss a month. Get caught up in work, you miss a year. This point was hammered home today, when we—Ben really—came to the realization that it has been just about 20 years since the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels ruled the world, and were owners of an NCAA Championship. That means it’s been 20 years since Larry “Grandmama” Johnson, Greg “The Mouth” Anthony and Stacey “Plastic Man” Augmon held court on the Strip like it was never held before [...Read More at Source]

by Aaron Kaplowitz
Playing at their home away from home, the Villanova Wildcats treated their fans to an impressive 89-69 victory over UCLA to advance to the Sweet 16, ending Darren Collison, Josh Shipp and Alfred Aboya’s run as the winningest class in UCLA history.
In case you missed the game, that stats tell enough of the story:
- Villanova attempted 20 more field goals than UCLA.
- Villanova grabbed 16 offensive rebounds.
- UCLA turned the ball over 20 times.
- Even [...Read More at Source]

by Franklyn Calle
The stage was set for another historic moment at the World’s Most Famous Arena. Madison Square Garden was about to witness once again another historic basketball moment right in its own wooden floor. This time it was a high school basketball historic championship up for grabs. All the hype that started in the Brooklyn streets when Lance Stephenson was in the 7th grade came down to this game. It seems like it was only yesterday when Stephenson aka “Born Ready” exploded into the national scene in July 2005 after he gave the best high school [...Read More at Source]

by Aaron Kaplowitz
During the full second that a basketball needs to reach the rim on a three-pointer, visions of David’s stone whizzing toward Goliath’s head materialized on the collective conscience of the Villanova-heavy crowd at Philadelphia’s Wachovia Center on Thursday night. The 14-seed American University Eagles were about to become the newest Cinderella, less than 20 minutes away from slaying the powerful Villanova University Wildcats on the first day of NCAA Tournament ‘09.
Brian [...Read More at Source]

by Ryne Nelson
The NBA announced yesterday that it fined referee Bill Kennedy an undisclosed amount for issuing what Doc Rivers claimed was “the most unprofessional tech I’ve ever had.”
Rivers was furious after he got whistled for his second technical foul with 29.8 seconds left against the Bulls March 17.“Look at [...Read More at Source]

This dunk won’t stick in your head longer than water on a wetsuit, but it sure has all the elements of a Slamadaday. Count ‘em:
• Turiaf barely misses the block (probably because he swatted with his left arm instead of right).
• Walton and Turiaf are former teammates, shared many meals, practices, conversations, laughs and (mostly) bench minutes.
• The little smirk Luke gave heading back down the court.

As the team continues on its four-game road trip, neither the Washington Post or Timeshave sent reporters to cover the 16-53 Wiz. The L.A. Times stopped sending writers back in January. Be ready: Beat reports are quickly moving away from newspapers and heading in YouTube’s direction.

First there was the failed ring-of-fire Hugo dunk during last season’s Playoff first round. This year, a halftime performer got his leg stuck in the rim and clanged his chin on metal on a mistiming trampoline jump.
Then earlier this week, a Hornets cameraman suffered the most painful incident of them all.

Knicks center Eddy Curry has taken custory of his son, Noah Henry-Curry. In January. police had found Noah in the room where his mother, Nova Henry, 24, and 10-month-old sister Ava were murdered. Nova Henry’s former attorney and ex-boyfriend, Fredrick Goings of Chicago, has been charge in the murders.

by Jake Appleman
There are no boundaries at the grammar school in the land of peace, chocolate, mountains and watchmen. Every nook and cranny, every angle and granny, is designed to affect the game and the way these kids—many of whom speak multiple languages—see the world. And, if you don’t know, now you know.
Ooh, “look” said prophet Aron:3/2

by Holly MacKenzie
Tell me this, is anyone going to grab a road win in Cleveland before the regular season ends?
Honestly, the Cavs look damn unstoppable on their homefloor. Last night was no exception as the Blazers managed to force overtime only to have LeBron claim his 7th triple-double this season and also steal back the win.
Skeets said last night, “Please stop trying to tell me LeBron James isn’t this season’s MVP. You sound like a fool.” I don’t think I can disagree with this statement.
LeBron isn’t [...Read More at Source]

Ben and I started talking about this story in 2001, after I interviewed William Paterson University coach Jose Rebimbas for a story on D3 late-bloomer (and future Detroit Piston) Horace Jenkins — “this story” being an old-school feature on the 1989 NCAA title game[...Read More at Source]

Lance Stephenson has picked the college he would like to attend next season, but the rest of the world will have to wait until April 1st at the McDonald’s All American game to find out where he has chosen to suit up for in the fall. The 6-5 shooting guard said in a press conference at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, in anticipation to Saturday’s PSAL Championship at the World’s Most Famous Arena, that he already has made up his mind as to what school he wants to attend but said he won’t announce it until he gets to Miami for the McDonald’s All American game. [...Read More at Source]

Photo by Atiba Jefferson
Originally published in SLAM 76
Kenyon Martin has been known to tear down rims. Granted, in recent years, this trend has decreased in frequency. But in the pre-microfracture surgery early years of the decade helping the Nets reach the Finals with his play on both ends of the court, the former Bearcat was a real force. — Adam Fleischer